Radio front end and applications thereof

ABSTRACT

A radio front end includes a transformer and an adjustable load. The transformer includes a first winding and a second winding, wherein the first winding is operably coupled to an antenna and the second winding coupled to at least one of a power amplifier and a low noise amplifier. The adjustable load is operably coupled to the second winding, wherein the adjustable load provides a first impedance based on a first impedance selection signal when the radio front end is in a transmit mode and provides a second impedance based on a second impedance selection signal when the radio front end is in a receive module such that impedance at the first winding is substantially similar in the transmit mode and in the receive mode.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS/PATENT APPLICATIONS Division PriorityClaim, 35 U.S.C. §120/121

The present U.S. Utility patent application claims priority pursuant to35 U.S.C. §120/121, as a division, to the following U.S. Utility patentapplication which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety and made part of the present U.S. Utility Patent Applicationfor all purposes:

1. U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 10/802,014, entitled “Radiofront end and applications thereof,” filed Mar. 16, 2004, pending.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to wireless communication devices andmore particularly to radio interfaces of such wireless communicationdevices.

2. Description of Related Art

Communication systems are known to support wireless and wire linedcommunications between wireless and/or wire lined communication devices.Such communication systems range from national and/or internationalcellular telephone systems to the Internet to point-to-point in-homewireless networks. Each type of communication system is constructed, andhence operates, in accordance with one or more communication standards.For instance, wireless communication systems may operate in accordancewith one or more standards including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11,Bluetooth, advanced mobile phone services (AMPS), digital AMPS, globalsystem for mobile communications (GSM), code division multiple access(CDMA), local multi-point distribution systems (LMDS),multi-channel-multi-point distribution systems (MMDS), and/or variationsthereof.

Depending on the type of wireless communication system, a wirelesscommunication device, such as a cellular telephone, two-way radio,personal digital assistant (PDA), personal computer (PC), laptopcomputer, home entertainment equipment, et cetera communicates directlyor indirectly with other wireless communication devices. For directcommunications (also known as point-to-point communications), theparticipating wireless communication devices tune their receivers andtransmitters to the same channel or channels (e.g., one of the pluralityof radio frequency (RF) carriers of the wireless communication system)and communicate over that channel(s). For indirect wirelesscommunications, each wireless communication device communicates directlywith an associated base station (e.g., for cellular services) and/or anassociated access point (e.g., for an in-home or in-building wirelessnetwork) via an assigned channel. To complete a communication connectionbetween the wireless communication devices, the associated base stationsand/or associated access points communicate with each other directly,via a system controller, via the public switch telephone network, viathe Internet, and/or via some other wide area network.

For each wireless communication device to participate in wirelesscommunications, it includes a built-in radio transceiver (i.e., receiverand transmitter) or is coupled to an associated radio transceiver (e.g.,a station for in-home and/or in-building wireless communicationnetworks, RF modem, etc.). As is known, the transmitter includes a datamodulation stage, one or more intermediate frequency stages, and a poweramplifier. The data modulation stage converts raw data into basebandsignals in accordance with a particular wireless communication standard.The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the baseband signalswith one or more local oscillations to produce RF signals. The poweramplifier amplifies the RF signals prior to transmission via an antenna.

As is also known, the receiver is coupled to the antenna and includes alow noise amplifier, one or more intermediate frequency stages, afiltering stage, and a data recovery stage. The low noise amplifierreceives inbound RF signals via the antenna and amplifies then. The oneor more intermediate frequency stages mix the amplified RF signals withone or more local oscillations to convert the amplified RF signal intobaseband signals or intermediate frequency (IF) signals. The filteringstage filters the baseband signals or the IF signals to attenuateunwanted out of band signals to produce filtered signals. The datarecovery stage recovers raw data from the filtered signals in accordancewith the particular wireless communication standard.

In many wireless applications, a radio transceiver includes one antennathat is shared by the receiver section and the transmitter section. Thesharing of the antenna may be achieved by a transmit/receive switch or atransformer balun. In recent advances in the wireless communication art,a transformer balun has been implemented on-chip with the receiversection and the transmitter section. In such an implementation, asingle-ended winding of the transformer balun is operably coupled to theantenna, a first differential winding of the transformer balun isoperably coupled to the receiver section, and another differentialwinding of the transformer balun is operably coupled to the transmittersection.

While the benefits of using an on-chip balun are many, there are someissues of concern, which include impedance matching of the loads on thesingle-ended winding and on the differential winding, efficient energytransfer from the transmitter section to the antenna via the transformerbalun, and complexity of implementation. Such issues arise, at least inpart, due to the loading of the transformer balun varies depending onwhether the transceiver is in a transmit mode or in a receive mode. Forexample, the input impedance of the low noise amplifier, which is a loadon the differential winding, varies by a factor of two or more dependingon whether the low noise amplifier is active or inactive. Further, theoutput impedance of the power amplifier, which is a load on thedifferential winding, varies depending on whether the power amplifier isactive or inactive.

Therefore, a need exists for a radio front end that provides forefficient energy transfer from the transmitter section to the antenna,provides enhanced impedance matching, and reduces the complexity ofimplementation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication systemin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless communication devicein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a radio front-end in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a radiofront-end in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of yet another embodiment of a radiofront-end in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a further embodiment of a radiofront-end in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of a still further embodiment of aradio front-end in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of yet another embodiment of a radiofront-end in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of a still further embodiment of aradio front-end in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a communication system10 that includes a plurality of base stations and/or access points12-16, a plurality of wireless communication devices 18-32 and a networkhardware component 34. The wireless communication devices 18-32 may belaptop host computers 18 and 26, personal digital assistant hosts 20 and30, personal computer hosts 24 and 32 and/or cellular telephone hosts 22and 28. The details of the wireless communication devices will bedescribed in greater detail with reference to FIG. 2.

The base stations or access points 12-16 are operably coupled to thenetwork hardware 34 via local area network connections 36, 38 and 40.The network hardware 34, which may be a router, switch, bridge, modem,system controller, et cetera, provides a wide area network connection 42for the communication system 10. Each of the base stations or accesspoints 12-16 has an associated antenna or antenna array to communicatewith the wireless communication devices in its area. Typically, thewireless communication devices register with a particular base stationor access point 12-14 to receive services from the communication system10. For direct connections (i.e., point-to-point communications),wireless communication devices communicate directly via an allocatedchannel.

Typically, base stations are used for cellular telephone systems andlike-type systems, while access points are used for in-home orin-building wireless networks. Regardless of the particular type ofcommunication system, each wireless communication device includes abuilt-in radio and/or is coupled to a radio. The radio includes a highlylinear amplifier and/or programmable multi-stage amplifier as disclosedherein to enhance performance, reduce costs, reduce size, and/or enhancebroadband applications.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a wirelesscommunication device that includes the host device 18-32 and anassociated radio 60. For cellular telephone hosts, the radio 60 is abuilt-in component. For personal digital assistants hosts, laptop hosts,and/or personal computer hosts, the radio 60 may be built-in or anexternally coupled component.

As illustrated, the host device 18-32 includes a processing module 50,memory 52, radio interface 54, input interface 58 and output interface56. The processing module 50 and memory 52 execute the correspondinginstructions that are typically done by the host device. For example,for a cellular telephone host device, the processing module 50 performsthe corresponding communication functions in accordance with aparticular cellular telephone standard.

The radio interface 54 allows data to be received from and sent to theradio 60. For data received from the radio 60 (e.g., inbound data), theradio interface 54 provides the data to the processing module 50 forfurther processing and/or routing to the output interface 56. The outputinterface 56 provides connectivity to an output display device such as adisplay, monitor, speakers, et cetera such that the received data may bedisplayed. The radio interface 54 also provides data from the processingmodule 50 to the radio 60. The processing module 50 may receive theoutbound data from an input device such as a keyboard, keypad,microphone, et cetera via the input interface 58 or generate the dataitself. For data received via the input interface 58, the processingmodule 50 may perform a corresponding host function on the data and/orroute it to the radio 60 via the radio interface 54.

Radio 60 includes a host interface 62, digital receiver processingmodule 64, an analog-to-digital converter 66, a filtering/gain module68, an IF mixing down conversion stage 70, a low noise amplifier 72, aradio front end 85, a local oscillation module 74, memory 75, a digitaltransmitter processing module 76, a digital-to-analog converter 78, afiltering/gain module 80, an IF mixing up conversion stage 82, a poweramplifier 84, and an antenna 86. The antenna 86 is shared by thetransmit and receive paths via the radio front end 85, which will bedescribed in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 3-9.

The digital receiver processing module 64 and the digital transmitterprocessing module 76, in combination with operational instructionsstored in memory 75, execute digital receiver functions and digitaltransmitter functions, respectively. The digital receiver functionsinclude, but are not limited to, digital intermediate frequency tobaseband conversion, demodulation, constellation demapping, decoding,and/or descrambling. The digital transmitter functions include, but arenot limited to, scrambling, encoding, constellation mapping, modulation,and/or digital baseband to IF conversion. The digital receiver andtransmitter processing modules 64 and 76 may be implemented using ashared processing device, individual processing devices, or a pluralityof processing devices. Such a processing device may be a microprocessor,micro-controller, digital signal processor, microcomputer, centralprocessing unit, field programmable gate array, programmable logicdevice, state machine, logic circuitry, analog circuitry, digitalcircuitry, and/or any device that manipulates signals (analog and/ordigital) based on operational instructions. The memory 75 may be asingle memory device or a plurality of memory devices. Such a memorydevice may be a read-only memory, random access memory, volatile memory,non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamic memory, flash memory, and/orany device that stores digital information. Note that when theprocessing module 64 and/or 76 implements one or more of its functionsvia a state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logiccircuitry, the memory storing the corresponding operational instructionsis embedded with the circuitry comprising the state machine, analogcircuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry.

In operation, the radio 60 receives outbound data 94 from the hostdevice via the host interface 62. The host interface 62 routes theoutbound data 94 to the digital transmitter processing module 76, whichprocesses the outbound data 94 in accordance with a particular wirelesscommunication standard (e.g., IEEE 802.11 Bluetooth, et cetera) toproduce digital transmission formatted data 96. The digital transmissionformatted data 96 will be a digital base-band signal or a digital low IFsignal, where the low IF typically will be in the frequency range of onehundred kilohertz to a few megahertz.

The digital-to-analog converter 78 converts the digital transmissionformatted data 96 from the digital domain to the analog domain. Thefiltering/gain module 80 filters and/or adjusts the gain of the analogsignal prior to providing it to the IF mixing stage 82. The IF mixingstage 82 converts the analog baseband or low IF signal into an RF signalbased on a transmitter local oscillation 83 provided by localoscillation module 74. The power amplifier 84 amplifies the RF signal toproduce outbound RF signal 98, which is provide to the antenna 86 viathe radio front end 85, where the antenna 86 transmits the outbound RFsignal 98 to a targeted device such as a base station, an access pointand/or another wireless communication device.

The radio 60 also receives an inbound RF signal 88 via the antenna 86,which was transmitted by a base station, an access point, or anotherwireless communication device. The antenna 86 provides the inbound RFsignal 88 to the low noise amplifier 72 via the radio front end 85. Thelow noise amplifier 72 amplifies the signal 88 to produce an amplifiedinbound RF signal. The low noise amplifier 72 provides the amplifiedinbound RF signal to the IF mixing module 70, which directly convertsthe amplified inbound RF signal into an inbound low IF signal orbaseband signal based on a receiver local oscillation 81 provided bylocal oscillation module 74. The down conversion module 70 provides theinbound low IF signal or baseband signal to the filtering/gain module68. The filtering/gain module 68 filters and/or gains the inbound low IFsignal or the inbound baseband signal to produce a filtered inboundsignal.

The analog-to-digital converter 66 converts the filtered inbound signalfrom the analog domain to the digital domain to produce digitalreception formatted data 90. The digital receiver processing module 64decodes, descrambles, demaps, and/or demodulates the digital receptionformatted data 90 to recapture inbound data 92 in accordance with theparticular wireless communication standard being implemented by radio60. The host interface 62 provides the recaptured inbound data 92 to thehost device 18-32 via the radio interface 54.

As one of average skill in the art will appreciate, the wirelesscommunication device of FIG. 2 may be implemented using one or moreintegrated circuits. For example, the host device may be implemented onone integrated circuit, the digital receiver processing module 64, thedigital transmitter processing module 76 and memory 75 may beimplemented on a second integrated circuit, and the remaining componentsof the radio 60, less the antenna 86, may be implemented on a thirdintegrated circuit. As an alternate example, the radio 60 may beimplemented on a single integrated circuit. As yet another example, theprocessing module 50 of the host device and the digital receiver andtransmitter processing modules 64 and 76 may be a common processingdevice implemented on a single integrated circuit. Further, the memory52 and memory 75 may be implemented on a single integrated circuitand/or on the same integrated circuit as the common processing modulesof processing module 50 and the digital receiver and transmitterprocessing module 64 and 76.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a radiofront-end 85 that includes a transformer 100 and an adjustable load 106.The transformer 100 includes a 1^(st) winding 102 and a 2^(nd) winding104. The 1^(st) winding may be a single-ended winding operably coupledto a circuit ground and to an antenna 86. The 2^(nd) winding 104 may bea differential winding having a center tap coupled to circuit ground andthe other nodes coupled to the adjustable load 106. The adjustable load106 is adjusted based on an impedance selection signal 108 and iscoupled to the low noise amplifier 72 and power amplifier 84. Theadjustable load provides a 1^(st) impedance based on the impedanceselection signal 108 when the radio front-end is in a transmit mode(i.e., the power amplifier 84 is enabled and low noise amplifier 72 isdisabled) and provides a 2^(nd) impedance based on the impedanceselection signal 108 when the radio front-end is in a receive mode(i.e., the power amplifier 84 is off and the low noise amplifier 72 ison) such that the impedance on the 1^(st) winding is substantiallysimilar in the transmit mode and in the receive mode of the radio.

In operation, the loading on the 2^(nd) winding 104 varies depending onwhether the power amplifier 84 is enabled or the low noise amplifier 72is enabled. During a calibration function of the wireless communicationdevice, the particular loading during the transmit and receive modes maybe determined. Based on this determination, the impedance selectionsignal 108 may be generated to provide the desired loading of adjustableload 106 such that it provides a 1^(st) load during transmit mode and a2^(nd) impedance during receive mode such that the load on the 2^(nd)winding 104 remains substantially constant whether the radio is in atransmit mode or receive mode.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of the radiofront-end 85. In this embodiment, the radio front-end 85 includes thetransformer 100 and an adjustable load 110. In this embodiment, the2^(nd) winding 104 of transformer 100 is directly coupled to the lownoise amplifier 72 and power amplifier 84. The 1^(st) winding 102 isoperably coupled to the adjustable load 110, which is adjusted based onthe impedance selection signal 108.

To compensate for the different loading effects on the secondary windingwhen the low noise amplifier is enabled or the power amplifier isenabled, the adjustable load 110 is adjusted such that the inputimpedance of the transformer 100 appears substantially constantregardless of whether the radio is in a transmit mode or receive mode.As one of average skill in the art will appreciate, if the antenna 86has an impedance of approximately 50 OHMS in the frequency range ofinterest, the input impedance to the radio should substantially equal 50OHMS. By including the adjustable load 110, and/or adjustable load 106,the input impedance to the radio can remain substantially constantregardless of whether the radio is in a transmit mode or receive mode.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of yet another embodiment of theradio front-end 85. In this embodiment, the transformer 100 includes the1^(st) and 2^(nd) windings, where the 1^(st) winding may be coupled tothe adjustable load 110 and the 2^(nd) winding may be coupled to theadjustable load 106. As one of average skill in the art will appreciate,the radio front-end 85 of FIG. 5 may include one or both of theadjustable loads 106 and/or 110.

In this embodiment, the adjustable load 106 includes a variablecapacitor C1 that is coupled across the 2^(nd) winding. The adjustablecapacitor C1 may be implemented as a capacitor bank, a varactor or acombination thereof. The control of the variable capacitance C1 is doneby the impedance selection signal 108. Similarly, the adjustable load110 may be implemented using a variable capacitance C2 that iscontrolled via the impedance selection signal 108. The variablecapacitance C2 may be implemented by a capacitor bank and/or a varactor.

FIG. 6 illustrates yet another embodiment of a radio front-end 85 thatincludes transformer 100 and adjustable load 106 and/or adjustable load110. In this embodiment, the adjustable load 110 includes the variablecapacitor C2.

The adjustable load 106 includes variable capacitors C3 and C4 each ofwhich is coupled to a node of the 2^(nd) winding and to circuit ground.Each of capacitors C3 and C4 may be a capacitor bank and/or varactorthat is controlled via the impedance selection signal 108.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of a further embodiment of the radiofront-end 85 that includes transformer 100 and adjustable load 106and/or adjustable load 110. In this embodiment, the adjustable loads 106and 110 include variable inductors L₁, L₂ and L₃ coupled in series withthe corresponding windings. The adjustable inductors L₁-L₃ may beimplemented using an inductor bank that is controlled by the impedanceselection signal. Accordingly, by adjusting the inductance added inseries with the windings of transformer 100, the corresponding inputimpedance of the radio may be controlled such that it remainssubstantially constant whether the radio is in a transmit mode orreceive mode.

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of a still further embodiment of theradio front-end 85 that includes transformer 100 and adjustable loads106 and/or adjustable load 110. In this embodiment, the adjustable loads106 and 110 include variable shunt inductors L₄-L₆ that are controlledvia the input selection signal 108. The inductors L₄-L₆ may be ainductor bank.

FIG. 9 illustrates yet another embodiment of a radio front-end 85. Inthis embodiment, transformer 101 includes a 1^(st) winding 103 and a2^(nd) winding 105. The 1^(st) winding 103 is coupled to the adjustableload 110, which may be implemented in any one of the previous FIGS. 5-8.

The 2^(nd) winding 105 includes a center tap operably coupled to circuitground, a 1^(st) pair of windings and a 2^(nd) pair of windings. The1^(st) paid of windings has its nodes coupled to the adjustable loadcircuit 114 and adjustable load circuit 116, which are in turn, coupledto the low noise amplifier 72. The 2^(nd) pair of windings has theirnodes coupled to adjustable load circuits 112 and 118 which in turn arecoupled to power amplifier 84. In this embodiment, the adjustable loadcircuits 112-118 may be implemented as previously described withreference to FIGS. 5-8.

In one embodiment described herein, the radio front end includes atransformer and an adjustable load. The transformer includes a firstwinding and a second winding, wherein the first winding is operablycoupled to an antenna and the second winding coupled to at least one ofa power amplifier and a low noise amplifier. The adjustable load isoperably coupled to the second winding, wherein the adjustable loadprovides a first impedance based on a first impedance selection signalwhen the radio front end is in a transmit mode and provides a secondimpedance based on a second impedance selection signal when the radiofront end is in a receive module such that impedance at the firstwinding is substantially similar in the transmit mode and in the receivemode.

In another embodiment, the radio front end includes a transformer and anadjustable load. The transformer includes a first winding and a secondwinding, wherein the first winding is operably coupled to an antenna andthe second winding coupled to at least one of a power amplifier and alow noise amplifier. The adjustable load is operably coupled to thefirst winding, wherein the adjustable load provides a first impedancebased on a first impedance selection signal when the radio front end isin a transmit mode and provides a second impedance based on a secondimpedance selection signal when the radio front end is in a receivemodule such that impedance at the first winding is substantially similarin the transmit mode and in the receive mode.

As one of average skill in the art will appreciate, the values of thecapacitors and/or inductors used in the adjustable loads and/or loadcircuits depends on the load variations induced by the low noiseamplifier 72 and power amplifier 84, the inductance of transformer 101and the operating frequency of the receive and/or transmitted RFsignals. For instance, the capacitance values may range from a fewhundredths of pico-farads to tens of pico-farads where the inductancemay range from a few hundredths of nano-farads to a few nano-farads.

As one of average skill in the art will appreciate, the term“substantially” or “approximately”, as may be used herein, provides anindustry-accepted tolerance to its corresponding term. Such anindustry-accepted tolerance ranges from less than one percent to twentypercent and corresponds to, but is not limited to, component values,integrated circuit process variations, temperature variations, rise andfall times, and/or thermal noise. As one of average skill in the artwill further appreciate, the term “operably coupled”, as may be usedherein, includes direct coupling and indirect coupling via anothercomponent, element, circuit, or module where, for indirect coupling, theintervening component, element, circuit, or module does not modify theinformation of a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage level,and/or power level. As one of average skill in the art will alsoappreciate, inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled toanother element by inference) includes direct and indirect couplingbetween two elements in the same manner as “operably coupled”. As one ofaverage skill in the art will further appreciate, the term “comparesfavorably”, as may be used herein, indicates that a comparison betweentwo or more elements, items, signals, etc., provides a desiredrelationship. For example, when the desired relationship is that signal1 has a greater magnitude than signal 2, a favorable comparison may beachieved when the magnitude of signal 1 is greater than that of signal 2or when the magnitude of signal 2 is less than that of signal 1.

The preceding discussion has presented a radio front-end that includes asubstantially constant input impedance regardless of whether a radio isin a transmit mode or receive mode. As one of average skill in the artwill appreciate, other embodiments may be derived from the teaching ofthe present invention without deviating from the scope of the claims.

1. A radio front end comprises: a transformer having a first winding anda second winding, wherein the first winding is operably coupled to anantenna and the second winding is operably coupled to at least one of apower amplifier and a low noise amplifier; and an adjustable loadoperably coupled to the first winding and operable to compensate fordiffering loads on the second winding in a transmit mode when the poweramplifier is enabled and in a receive mode when the low noise amplifieris enabled, wherein the adjustable load is operable to provide a firstimpedance based on a first impedance selection signal when the radiofront end is in the transmit mode and provides a second impedance basedon a second impedance selection signal when the radio front end is inthe receive mode such that impedance at the first winding issubstantially similar in the transmit mode and in the receive mode. 2.The radio front end of claim 1, wherein the adjustable load comprises: avariable capacitor circuit operably coupled from a first node of thefirst winding to a second node of the first winding, wherein thevariable capacitor circuit provides a first capacitance value inresponse to the first impedance selection signal and provides a secondcapacitance value in response to the second impedance selection signal.3. The radio front end of claim 1, wherein the adjustable loadcomprises: a variable inductor circuit operably coupled in series withone node of the first winding, wherein the variable inductor circuitprovides a first inductance value in response to the first impedanceselection signal and provides a second inductance value in response tothe second impedance selection signal.
 4. The radio front end of claim1, wherein the adjustable load comprises: a variable inductance circuitoperably coupled from one node of the first winding to a circuit ground,wherein the variable inductance circuit provides a first inductancevalue in response to the first impedance selection signal and provides asecond inductance value in response to the second impedance selectionsignal.
 5. The radio front end of claim 1 further comprises: determiningthe load impedance selection signal based on at least one of: impedancematching of load on single-ending winding, output power requirements,and receiver sensitivity.
 6. The radio front end of claim 1 furthercomprises: the second winding of the transformer includes a first set oftaps and a second set of taps, wherein the first set of taps is coupledto a low noise amplifier and the second set of taps is coupled to apower amplifier; a first adjustable load circuit operably coupled to onetap of the first set of taps, wherein the first adjustable load circuitprovides a first portion of a third impedance in response to the firstimpedance selection signal and provides a first portion of a fourthimpedance in response to the second impedance selection signal; a secondadjustable load circuit operably coupled to a second tap of the firstset of taps, wherein the second adjustable load circuit provides asecond portion of the third impedance in response to the first impedanceselection signal and provides a second portion of the fourth impedancein response to the second impedance selection signal; a third adjustableload circuit operably coupled to one tap of the second set of taps,wherein the third adjustable load circuit provides a third portion ofthe third impedance in response to the first impedance selection signaland provides a third portion of the fourth impedance in response to thesecond impedance selection signal; and a fourth adjustable load circuitoperably coupled to a second tap of the second set of taps, wherein thefourth adjustable load circuit provides a fourth portion of the thirdimpedance in response to the first impedance selection signal andprovides a fourth portion of the fourth impedance in response to thesecond impedance selection signal.
 7. The radio front end of claim 1further comprises: a second adjustable load coupled to the secondwinding, wherein the second adjustable load provides a third impedancein response to the first impedance selection signal and provides afourth impedance in response to the second impedance selection signal.8. A radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) comprises: a radio frontend operably coupled to transceive radio frequency (RF) signals; a lownoise amplifier operably coupled to the radio front end, wherein the lownoise amplifier receives inbound RF signals from the radio front end,and wherein the low noise amplifier amplifies the inbound RF signals toproduce amplified inbound RF signals; down conversion module operablycoupled to convert the amplified inbound RF signals into inboundbaseband signals; baseband processing module operably coupled to convertthe inbound baseband signals into inbound data and to convert outbounddata into outbound baseband signals in accordance with a wirelesscommunications protocol; up conversion module operably coupled toconvert the outbound baseband signals into outbound RF signals; and apower amplifier operably coupled to amplify the outbound RF signals toproduce amplified outbound RF signals and to provide the amplifiedoutbound RF signals to the radio front end, wherein the radio front endincludes: a transformer having a first winding and a second winding,wherein the first winding is operably coupled to an antenna and thesecond winding coupled to at least one of a power amplifier and a lownoise amplifier; and an adjustable load operably coupled to the firstwinding, wherein the adjustable load provides a first impedance based ona first impedance selection signal when the radio front end is in atransmit mode and provides a second impedance based on a secondimpedance selection signal when the radio front end is in a receive modesuch that impedance at the first winding is substantially similar in thetransmit mode and in the receive mode.
 9. The RFIC of claim 8, whereinthe adjustable load comprises: a variable capacitor circuit operablycoupled from a first node of the first winding to a second node of thefirst winding, wherein the variable capacitor circuit provides a firstcapacitance value in response to the first impedance selection signaland provides a second capacitance value in response to the secondimpedance selection signal.
 10. The RFIC of claim 8, wherein theadjustable load comprises: a variable inductor circuit operably coupledin series with one node of the first winding, wherein the variableinductor circuit provides a first inductance value in response to thefirst impedance selection signal and provides a second inductance valuein response to the second impedance selection signal.
 11. The RFIC ofclaim 8, wherein the adjustable load comprises: a variable inductancecircuit operably coupled from one node of the first winding to a circuitground, wherein the variable inductance circuit provides a firstinductance value in response to the first impedance selection signal andprovides a second inductance value in response to the second impedanceselection signal.
 12. The RFIC of claim 8, wherein the radio front endfurther comprises: determining the load impedance selection signal basedon at least one of: impedance matching of load on single-ending winding,output power requirements, and receiver sensitivity.
 13. The RFIC ofclaim 8, wherein the radio front end further comprises: the secondwinding of the transformer includes a first set of taps and a second setof taps, wherein the first set of taps is coupled to a low noiseamplifier and the second set of taps is coupled to a power amplifier; afirst adjustable load circuit operably coupled to one tap of the firstset of taps, wherein the first adjustable load circuit provides a firstportion of a third impedance in response to the first impedanceselection signal and provides a first portion of a fourth impedance inresponse to the second impedance selection signal; a second adjustableload circuit operably coupled to a second tap of the first set of taps,wherein the second adjustable load circuit provides a second portion ofthe third impedance in response to the first impedance selection signaland provides a second portion of the fourth impedance in response to thesecond impedance selection signal; a third adjustable load circuitoperably coupled to one tap of the second set of taps, wherein the thirdadjustable load circuit provides a third portion of the third impedancein response to the first impedance selection signal and provides a thirdportion of the fourth impedance in response to the second impedanceselection signal; and a fourth adjustable load circuit operably coupledto a second tap of the second set of taps, wherein the fourth adjustableload circuit provides a fourth portion of the third impedance inresponse to the first impedance selection signal and provides a fourthportion of the fourth impedance in response to the second impedanceselection signal.
 14. The RFIC of claim 8, wherein the radio front endfurther comprises: a second adjustable load coupled to the secondwinding, wherein the second adjustable load provides a third impedancein response to the first impedance selection signal and provides afourth impedance in response to the second impedance selection signal.15. A radio front end comprises: a power amplifier operable in atransmit mode; a low noise amplifier operable in a receive mode; atransformer operably coupled to an antenna and operably coupled to thepower amplifier and the low noise amplifier; and at least one adjustableload operably coupled to the transformer and operable to vary animpedance value at the transformer to compensate for a variable loadbetween the transmit mode when the power amplifier is operable and areceive mode when the low noise amplifier is enabled, wherein theadjustable load is operable to provide a first impedance value inresponse to a first impedance selection signal when the radio front endis in a transmit mode and is operable to provide a second impedancevalue based on a second impedance selection signal when the radio frontend is in a receive mode such that impedance at the transformer issubstantially similar in the transmit mode and in the receive mode. 16.The radio front end of claim 15, wherein the transformer includes afirst winding and a second winding and wherein the adjustable loadcomprises: a variable capacitor circuit operably coupled from a firstnode of the first winding to a second node of the first winding, whereinthe variable capacitor circuit provides a first capacitance value inresponse to the first impedance selection signal and provides a secondcapacitance value in response to the second impedance selection signal.17. The radio front end of claim 15, wherein the transformer includes afirst winding and a second winding and wherein the adjustable loadcomprises: a variable inductor circuit operably coupled in series withone node of the first winding, wherein the variable inductor circuitprovides a first inductance value in response to the first impedanceselection signal and provides a second inductance value in response tothe second impedance selection signal.
 18. The radio front end of claim15, wherein the transformer includes a first winding and a secondwinding and wherein the adjustable load comprises: a variable capacitorcircuit operably coupled from a first node of the second winding to asecond node of the second winding, wherein the variable capacitorcircuit provides a first capacitance value in response to the firstimpedance selection signal and provides a second capacitance value inresponse to the second impedance selection signal.
 19. The radio frontend of claim 15, wherein the transformer includes a first winding and asecond winding and wherein the adjustable load comprises: a variableinductor circuit operably coupled in series with one node of the secondwinding, wherein the variable inductor circuit provides a firstinductance value in response to the first impedance selection signal andprovides a second inductance value in response to the second impedanceselection signal.
 20. The radio front end of claim 15 further comprises:determining the load impedance selection signal based on at least oneof: impedance matching of load on single-ending winding, output powerrequirements, and receiver sensitivity.